


Just an Illusion

by CXeri



Category: TAL - Fandom, 탈 | TAL (Webcomic), 탈 | TAL (Webtoon Comic), 탈(TAL)
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 13:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8104348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CXeri/pseuds/CXeri
Summary: A fan-fiction on Haje's state after expriencing a loss of someone dear to him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is very much post-Hiljo's death setting. I wrote Jena's version and Haje's version differently due to a few factors in their relationships with their father figure and their personalities. 
> 
>  
> 
> This is not a pairing fan-fiction.

His eyes hazily dazed at an empty space, waiting for something.

Someone.

All he had done was to leave his side, just for a while. It was for a few brief moments. He knew he could take care of himself. He always managed to.

But...

It happened right before his eyes.

Something was blocking his throat. He barely made noises. He can never be able to make sounds.

Why did it had to be him?

His eyes closed as he rested his head onto his arms.

Was there some other way...?

There were footsteps. Just one set just by the sound of it... and it was walking toward him.

How long was he here...?

It didn't sound like Jena. She would be noisier. It did have a particular sound, something he wouldn't forget easily.

His head lifted up slightly, enough to see.

 

 

Was he imagining this...?

Was he hallucinating...?

Standing before him was a man who looked like him. No. It was the reverse.

He was the one who looked like the man.

Gray, messy hair. Gray eyes. Clothes of purple and black with accent of gray. Black coat.

That unmistakable scar.

This man was his mentor. Friend. Partner.

His father.

His throat choked.

He was here. Hiljo was here. His dad was here.

"... Dad...."

"Haje?"

"... I...."

His hand shakily reached out to his own throat. This was....

"I... I...." Haje stuttered. How long had it been since the last time he spoke?

Why hadn't he spoken before?

"Dad...." His eyes raised up, staring at his father.

"What's wrong?"

"No... Nothing!" Did he know...?

Hiljo had raisen an eyebrow for a brief second. ".... Any luck on finding Jena?"

"She's nearby...." His eyes glanced around. Where did she run off to? "I saw her a while ago."

"She can't keep still." The blind sighed.

"Well... she's excited.... She found someone who could take off the marks."

"She did?"

"Yes." Haje nodded once despite the fact Hiljo couldn't see. "She was here with them a while ago.... They'll be back soon so we could have them off."

"So we wait here? Was there a deal?"

"Um... Jena didn't tell me about anything of a deal. She was really excited." Maybe too excited for her to forget to fill him on it.

"Let's hope it's not a trap."

Knowing Jena... Haje thought this could end weird. "I can't really say. The people she was with were the king's heir and a... tal. The ones she had spoken about before." And the ones he was sure that Hiljo told her to stay away from.

"Imae Tal?"

"Yeah."

".... Was she injured?"

"No. She looked completely fine and really happy. She did go on about that we'll be free to do what we want to do."

"I guess that's good." Hiljo let out a relieved sigh. That alone made Haje smile just a little.

"I bet she has a list of places she wanted to go with us."

"When she hasn't?"

Haje couldn't deny that. The three of them had been planning this freedom. It was their dream to get away from Jagwi.

Now it was within their reach.

"...." Within their reach.... "What are we going to do if he found out what we're doing...?" The question slipped out of his lips.

"I'll do something about it, Haje. If I had convinced him before, I can work it out with him."

"But... what if he decided to kill you...?!"

"Don't worry about it."

"But-!" His vision started to blur.

"Haje. Nothing like that will happen. I won't let him touch you or Jena."

"I... I know.... But Jena and I don't want...." They didn't want him to go. They didn't want Hiljo out of their lives just yet.

Just when they were so close....

"I know that. I can handle it."

"I don't know what to do... if Jagwi did something to you...."

"You'll find a way with Jena. I'm sure of it." Hiljo's hand reached out to Haje's hair and then ruffled his hair just a little. "As long you two are safe, I don't mind handling Jagwi a little longer."

"Da... Dad...?"

"Take care of Jena for me."

"Wha...?" Something was stuck in his throat as he watched his father's figure turning away from him.

"Wh...? ... ad.... D... ad...." Why now?

"N..n...." His vision blurred. "D... nn...!" His hand went to his throat. Why now?

Then his hand stretched out to take hold of Hiljo's sleeve.

_Don't go._

"Aa...!"

He reached out again to his father only to have his fingers phasing through the sleeves, unable to take hold of him.

"...!"

His mouth moved. Nothing came out as his fingers glided past the sleeve.

_No_.

There was nothing there.

_Don't go._

No one was there.

_I wanted you to be with us._

It was just him.

No. Hiljo was just somewhere. This can't be true.

It had to be a lie. A dream.

Just some bad dream where he could wake up from. His dad would be there, wondering about him. Jena would be there too and maybe trying to cheer him up.

This had to be a bad dream....

He can't be gone....

Why...

Why didn't he stay with him?

 

 

  
Why can’t he say the words he wanted him to hear? 


End file.
